Venetian blind closed headrail



B. WALKER 2,663,368

VENETIAN BLIND CLOSED HEADRAIL Dec. 22, 1953 Filed March 22, 1950 INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 22, 1950, Serial No. 151,231

6 Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide a simpler, less expensive type of Venetian blind head rail which can be readily assembled and will perform the function 'of controlling the tilting of the blind as well, or better, than any of the constructions snow in use and, in general, at less cost, involving fewer parts, being easier to assemble, and providing a better closure of the blind by allowing the tapes to be closer together at the top of the blind than is the case with most conventional head rails.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tilt control for the blind which is controlled by pull cords, in which the pull cords are positively secured to the rod which controls the tilt and are attached to it directly, so that they control the rotation of this tilt rod for a predetermined number of revolutions depending upon the number of wraps around the control rod by the tilt control cords.

Another object of the invention is to provide a correcting means whereby when the tilt control cords get slightly out of place with the tilting of the blind that a pull of the tilt cords to the fully tilted position will provide a re-correction of the position of the tilt rods through sliding rotation of the tilt control rod under the ladder tapes, so that no corrective means is needed such as is usually incorporated in worm type tilt gears and is currently marketed under the name Levelor, based on the U. S. Patent No. 2,298,891.

' Other objects of the invention are to provide wire supports for the tilt control rod rather than more expensive stampings and their associated high-cost dies.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in the form of a clip slidable in the edge of the slat for securing the slat to the cross rung and, in turn, to the side members of the ladder tape, so that the top slat will not slide up the side members of the ladder tape due to the inclined inner surfaces of the tops of the side members of the ladder tapes where they move inwardly from the topslat to go over the small diameter tilt control rod or tilt control rod drum.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an increase in friction between the tilt control rod and the inner surface of the ladder tapes to provide more positive tilt control but yet provide slippage when the slats are tilted to their fully tilted position and there is still some rotation control left in the tilting mechanism through the cfontrolof the tilt control rod.

' Other objects of the invention are to provide 2 means whereby when the blind is fully tilted, the tapes can be quite close together compared with the ordinary drum used for controlling the tilts in most tilt controls in metal head rails.

Other objects of the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended specification and claims.

I have illustrated my invention by way of elk-.- ample in the following figures in which:

Figure 1 illustrates one form of my invention in side quarter view with part of the blind cut away.

Figure 2 is a view of a portion of the blind taken at section 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the blind taken at section 3-3, and for simplicity, not showing the structure in the balance of the head rail.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a portion of the blind taken at section 44 of the head rail and top slat.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the left hand portion of the head rail taken just inside of the center of the tilt control rod and going around the tilt control rod and its associated washers.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the tilt rod supports.

In all figures, like numerals of reference refer to the same, or corresponding, parts.

In Figures 1 through 5 inclusive, I have shown a Venetian blind with a metal head rail consisting of a metal box ID, or U-shaped'container, with inturned upper edges in which is located a series of wire tilt rod supports H which are preferably crimped under the upper curled edges of the head rail Illa and [0b respectively, and has'at its center a dropped section suitable for receiving the tilt control rod 29 which preferably runs mostof the length of the blind, or at least from the tilt, control cords 40 and 4| past both of the slat supporting ladder tapes 3!] and 3|, or additional ladder tapes if they are necessary on a longer blind. Suitable supports II for the tilt control rod 20 may preferably be supported as shown near the tilt control drum 20a on which the tilt control cords All and Al are wound and are also adjacent the points where the, ladder tapes, such as 30 and 3|, are supported by the tilt control rod 2!]. Where fabric ladder tapes are used, such as 30 and 3!, the coefficient between a smooth tilt control rod, such as 20, may be too low and some type of friction increasing bushing, such as a rubber sleeve or or other roughened surface, may be necessary, such as 20?), between the surface of the tilt control rod 20 and the inner surface of the upper looped end of the ladder tape side members 30 and 3|. The side members of the ladder type are preferably joined at the rear side by sewing, stapling, stitching, cementing, or other suitable means at some point like 30?), or for economy of material a suitable smooth joint may be made up near the tilt control rod 20 whenthe slatsare in their horizontal position which would effect asli'ght saving in the ladder tapes unless subsequent ladder are cut in staggered relationship so as to allow a joint such is shown at 30b without material loss of slat supporting ladder tape material. The 'li'fti'rig' bi the blind is performed by lifting cordsill passing through route holes in the center 6f the slats and operating through a cord lock 5| in a conventional manner. Washers are provided at the sides of the ladder, tape, like 2|, and may prerferably be splitand pressed into a recess rol into trie red- 20; '2 an are suitable a, Y i at presse as a 1 to properly'ietain a her 'in its properp iti'on; Due to the incli ed, inner "sur'fa 'oithe side members of the ladder tape ab the top jslat, and goin from the top slat to thesmall 'diainetertilt con} trol roller or tilting surface- 1213a, there be, aer'eme'tendeney er the M age during the tili nep 1 p i means is rovid e'd for keeping the slat rr'em doing this. ,lnlt s i st le nl h r v a 9 n hi clips around the crossmemberfil afof the ladder tape to keep clip tached'jfirfnlyjto the cross 'r'hg a t j j a die n v dej'ai B,. h d tep'r ti'on of the clip which goes ever the edge of basla l t alh libe sl is m in b -e" 1 the,;eu but t jitri t 'te tim te climb out of the'clip. Since the cross ung i's a little lon e t e th dth th e n e hv'e blindcoristructions,it is ,p, in issfi h "edges ir'rgthe ne -m b rs er the an -q when 'in thehdrizontalposition, andfstill to allow the cross rung under the top slat' to as ume a run length 15" itio when theblirid tilted in Ste aut'itv-su tebie motion '01 ftne laddrtapes to get the 4 er tefpiiiidin both directions when in y t1 ted in er direction.- In order also to fallow thesidmembers "of the ladder tapes to tie] as "close together from the tilt control rod i {at the, ent r erthe tuna over which the "liftin g co'rd pfas'se'sbe' as na'rro'w as practical so as'riotfto interfere 'withftl'ie 'clo'seproximity of ,the two'isi'de mem ers of the ladder tape when in ft'heclosed position. Tn this connection, 'I have teeth-entrain tyfietr pulley '1 6 that is 'rnounted in a pulleysj1pp'ort l whioh 'sn'a'ps into a recwhen woundontlie red for tilt control purposes slde -m mbersjoi the ladder lose'to the edges of the slat i of the tilt control cord "details :without scope of my invention-which is set forth in the following claims.

with the slats set in their horizontal position. By this construction, more rotation of the tilt rod is providedthan may be necessary to just tilt the blind to the fully tilted position in both directions. However, slight additional motion through the tilt control cord will only result in a slight slippage of the tilt control rod 20 or rod tape engaging surface 21b, which will further assure tilting in that direction and will provide a corrective action atthe'nd of the tilting in either direction. Smooth action of the tilt control cords may be provided where they pass through the head member l0. In order to prevent too much pull on the tilt control cord looking pint; when in the fully tilted position, it may be desirable to provide a cord stop, such as, M?) andilnon the tilt control cords which will bump into the limited passage hole lllg or ii -h when the cord hasbeen moved into its fully tilting position in either direction and, thus, keep the excess strain off the cord retaining pin 52. In order to further'retain the cord tilting controls from climbing on top of each other or getting out of place, it may be desirable to use a spring clip, such as 23, gripping the turned edges of the head member Ilia "and lb and riding over the top 'of the tilt control cord, and thus pressing very lightly thereon and provid= 7 ing ears at both sides of the tilt "control cord as at 2%. It may also'be desirable to use a clip, such as i2, riding in the turned edges of the head rail, andtidin'g lightly over the top of the ladder tape'loop, or riding just :free of the top of the ladderftap'e loop and below the top edge oi the retaining washers 21 at both'si'd's of the'l'aid'der tape-loop. Thus, when-the blind is fully lifted and the to of the ladder ta e would otherwise tend to lift off 'of the surface '28?) on which-it is-supposed to ride, it'will re: tain the ladder tape between the washer-s so that'when ithe bli'rid "is lowered, the ladder tape will be on the desired-portion "of the tilt control rod 26.

I do not wish-in any 'way to 11mm myselfto the exact details or mode of operation set forth in the specification "anddrawings, for it willbe obvious that departure "may befrnade in the way of cpar'ting from thefspir'it and I claim as my invention:

1. In a Venetian blind, a head rail of channel form including'o te sidewalls and a base, a tilt rod, bearing means for the tilt rod opera"- tivly engegeerwith and supported by the' fr'ee edges of said side walls, apertures in -'said'base, a ladder tape iucidd-iiig spaced parallel slat -supportihg portions "beneath said 'base and upwardly converging loop forming portions extending throughs'aid apertures and around said tilt-rod.

2. The 'str'uctu feaccordin'g to claim '1 together with clip "mean-e secured to the upper rung of said ladder tape adjacent the junction of said "first and second tape portion's, said clip means including portions'loosely receiving the opposite edges of "aslat"supported'on'saidrung. p

3. Ina Venetianblind. a head rail of channel form including opposite vertical side walls and a horizontal base, inturned flanges-on the free edges of said side walls, "bearing brackets in;

transversely spaced-openings; a ladder tap? com;

prising afloop poritionsuhhorted; on said tilt rod 5 and including downwardly diverging side portions extending through said openings, said tape including other parallel side portions having interconnecting rungs, and slats supported on said rungs.

4. The structure according to claim 3 wherein said loop portion engages a sleeve surrounding said tilt rod in frictional engagement with the rod and the tape.

5. The structure according to claim 4, together with axially spaced flanges on said tilt rod and between which said sleeve is disposed.

6. The structure according to claim 4, together with a spring pressure member supported by said flanges and bearing on said tape above said I sieeve.

BROOKS WALKER.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 1,861,606 Mackin June 7, 1932 2,175,549 Nardulli et a1 Oct. 10, 1939 10 2,182,804 Haase Dec. 12, 1939 V FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,097 Great Britain 1864 

